Dispensing apparatus



A. D. NICHOLSON W. T. LOWERY.

Patented Mar. 26, 1918.

` UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

.ARTHUR D. NICHOLSON AND DISPEN SING APPARATUS.

l'o au www". u. may camera.'

Be it known that we ARTHUR D. N 10u01.- SON and WILLIAM T. waar, both citizens of the United States `ozl. America, residing at Fredericksburg, in tht county of Spottsyl# vaniar and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Im rovements in Dispensing A paratus, of which the followin is azspec cation.

hgisjnvention relates to a dispensing apparatus and it has for its object the provision of a leasing and ornamental structure ada tedJ to be located at'lthe curb line and to ispense gasolcne or other fuel oils or lubricating -oils to motorists.:`

One of the principal objeetspof the invention is to so construct the device thatthe oil being delivered to the motorist will first he delivered into a transparent receptacle so that the motorist may feel sure that he is receiving the'full amount of oil that he pays for, the oil being first delivered into the transparent receptacle in full view of the motorist and delivered from said transparent receptacle into the tank of the automobile through a, ipe having no other connection with the dispensing apparatus than through the transparent receptacle.

A urther object of. the `invention is the provision of improved-.means to prevent unauthorized persons frbmdr'awin oil from the dispensing apparatus and a still further object of the invention is to rovide means to prevent fraudulent operatlon of the dispensing apparatus yupon the part of dis honest employees.

Further objects and advantages of the in vention Will be set forth in the detailed description which now follows:

In the accompanying drawings;

Figure 1 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in sectionof a dispensing apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a view like Fig. 1 but upon an enlarged scale and with parts broken away. `g.,3 is a detail view of the key herein" after described.

Fig. 4 is a detail View of a hinged locking plate hereinafter described, and

I` ig. 5 is a detail view of a notched disk hereinafter described.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application l111041 November 25, 1916.; Serial No.

Like num .VILIIAM T. LOWEBY, OF FREDERICKSBURG, VIRGINIA.

Patented Mal'. 26, 1918. 133,457.

erals designate corresponding parts in all of the figures of the drawing. Y

In carryin g out the invention we provide an underground storage tank 5 having the usual filling for supplyin leads into the upper this pipe 7 gage 8 so that t the tank 5 In supply pipe cap 6. An air supply pipe 7 g compressed airA to the tank A5 portion of said tank and referably provided with a lie degree of pressure within readily ascertained. The the dispensing apparatus ay .be 9- for leads from a point adjacent the bottom of the tank ornamental pedestal 10.

5 and extends upwardly through an A plate l1 is seated upon the upper end of this pedestal and is provided with a said groove glass cylinder 13.

cylinder rests upon within the groove 12. packing may lamp-wick soaked in shellac to tageous for this the action of the The u er disposedpp face of' a 1n a groove 15 formed plate 16 and the plates 11 and 16 groove 12 in its upper face, recelvinrlg the lower end of a he lower edge of the packing 14 disposed Any suitable kind of be employed though I find e advanpurpose because it resists gasolene. edge ofthe glass cylinder 13 is in the under are drawn together by tie-rods and nuts 17 and 18 to thfereby provide a.

Huid ti ht receptacle. The upper end of the supp y pipe 9 'is threaded into the plate a T 19 that/'is 13 and throng `11 and carries disposed within the cylinder h the branches of which T the' gasolene is discharged into the cylinderl. he supply pipe 9 is provided with a controlling valve 20.

A discharge pipe 21 which leads from the underside ofthe plate 11 is provided with a A flexible hose,

controlling cock 22. a portion-of which ls indicated at 23, serves to convey the gasolene or other oil to the transparent receptacle formed by the der 13 and t a measuring pacity and, i

cated by the tank of an automobile. The

cylinhe plates 11 and 16 constitutes chamber of predetermined caf desired, this chamber may be Y graduated in gallons or otherwise as indilines 24. To permit the escape of any air trapped within the receptacle, a

check valve lifted by che 25 of such buoyancy as to be gasolene is arranged. `to close a vent 26 when the receptacle is full. The

check valve i s prevented from falling out of a cavity 27 in whichit is located by means of a perforated plate 28 carried by the plate 16. It is apparent that with the valve 22 closed and the valve 2t) opened, gasolcne under pressure will flow through the supply pipe 9 into the receptacle and lill the same. Atter this receptacle or measuring chamber has been filled'to the desired point, the valve 20 will be closed and the valve 22 will be opened whereupon the gasolene or other oil within the measuring chamber may flow through the discharge pipe 21 and hose 23 to theitank of a waiting vehicle.

It is apparent, how ever, that since the apparatus herein shown and described is located atthe curb line means must be provided to prevent unauthorized persons from operating the same to extract oil therefrom since otherwise dishonest persons could empty thetank 5 after nightfall when the garages at which these devices are usually employed are closed. To render it impossw ble for unauthorized persons to operate the apparatus, `the valve 20 is Aconstructed to be s ring actuated. That is, it is moved to c osed position by a spring 29 vv'hicl'i-encircles its stein 30. It is, therefore, apparent that a pullmust be imparted to this stem against the tension of the springr in order to open the valve. To accomplish this the key shown in Fig. 3 is used. This key comprises a shank 31 of tubular formation which is adapted to fit over the ends of the valve stem 30 and is provided with a bayonet slot 32 adapted to engage a pin 33 carried by the valvev stein. By engaging the tubular shank 31 with the valve stem and grasping the handle 341 of the key, the operator may pull the valve stem outwardly and thereby quickly open the valve. To render it unnecessary tor the operator to hold the valve in its open position the shank 31 isprovided with a lateral extension 8o' 'which passes outwardly through a slot llo formed in the Wall of' the pedestal tt). 'when the valve is being opened and by impartinga turning movement to the shank 511 to canse thelateral extension to engage the oultler face of the wall of the pedestal the valve will be held in its open position against the tension of the spring 29. A hinge plate wall of the pedestal l() constitutes a shutter which is adapted to close the opening 36 and to be secured in its closed position by a padlock 38 after the key 31 has beenremoved. It will, therefore, be apparent that for an unauthorized person to tamper with this apparatus it would not only be necessary for such person to have a key of the peculiar form herein shown but he would also have to possess a key' to the padlock, Thefts of automobiles' by joyridersare common and persons of this type wouldwnot hesitate to break'a padlock iivtheywfound, it necessary 3? secured to the to do so in order to secure gasolene but even if the break the padlock herein shown and descri ed they still will not be able to actuate the peculiar type of valve herein em ployed because this valve is not operated b5. a turning action like most valves but must be actuated 'uy a longitudinal pull and-this4 pull must be imparted to it through a com paratively narrow orifice.

It is not only necessary to guardy against the direct theft of the gasolene but yitisfalsc necessary to guard against loss through dishonest employees. It is apparent that un less means are provided to prevent it, gaso. lene could be allowed to flow directly from tank 5 to hose 23 by opening. valves 20 and 22 simultaneously. and to prevent this means are provided for preventing the actuation of valve 20 until the alve 22 has been entirely' closed and to prevent the opening of the valve 22 except when the valve 2() is closed. To this end the valve stem 30 `is continued beyond the valve casing and is pivoted at38 to the lower end of a lever 39. This lever' is pivoted at 40 to a lug carried by the pedestal t 10. The upper eind of the lever 39 earities a pin all which projects through the Awall of the pedestal androacts with a disk 42 that is carried by the turning plug of4 valve 22,*it being understood that this valve is of the plug type. 'lhc disk 42 is provided with a notch 43 which. lies in alinement :with the pin 41 and within which saidpin enters when thew'alve 22 is in its closed position. 4When l the valve stem 29 moves to the right in Figtt 1 it rocks the lever 39 upon its pivot l10i-and witlnlraws the pin 41 from the notch 4%lf whereupon the valve may be openedbut as long as the valve 22 is open the flat rear face of the disk 42 prevents the rnovenientI ol the piu 4l toward the right consequently, during all of the time that the valve 22 is open, valve 2O will be closed and it is onlywhen valve 22 is closed and the notch 43 is brought in alinement with pin 41 that thc valve 20 may be opened by moving the stein 3() toward the left in Fig. 1, It will thus' be seen that by a very simple and inexpensive' mechanism means are provided to prevent loss to the garage owners through improper nmnipulation of the apparatus ov dishonest employees. t

Nearly all garages have compressed air tanks for-the purpose of indatingiires. The pressure in these tanks ranges from ninety to one hundred and twentyiive pounds. It is not desirable to have more than ten pounds pressure in the supply *ank 'lyet iti ifo ' part of the pedestal therefrom, we provide a, reducing valve 44 in the pipe 7 being understood that this pipe is connected to the tire infiating air tank (not shown). This reducing valve will servo to automatically maintain any desired pressure in the tank 5 irrespective of how the pressure may Huctuatc in the tire inflatng tank.

It is to t l be understood that the invention is no nnlted to the precise construction set it includes within its purview whatever changes fairly come Within the spirit of the appended claims.

Having described our invention what we claim is l. In a device of the character described, the combination with a pedestal of a transparent measuring receptacle located thereon, a storage tank located beneath the surface of the ground, a supply pipe leading from s: l storage tank to said receptacle through said pedestal, means for supplying com` pressed ai. to the storage tank, a discharge from said receptacle, a con- A by said pedestal in means of said key.

2. A dispensing apparatusof the churacter described, comprising a pedestal, a transparent measuring receptacle located thereupon, a supply pipe leading to said receptacle and inclosed by said pedestal, a spring actuated valve in said dischar e pipe and located within the pedestal, sai valve combeing inaccessible the key, said pedestal ben ing provided with an opening through which said key may be inserted.

3. A dispensing apparatus of the character described, comprising a pedestal, a trans parent measuring receptac e located thereupon, a supply pipe leading to said receptacle through said pedestal, a spring actuated valve in said discharge pipe and inclosed by said said valve compris stem and a said valve stem to impart longitudinal movement thereto, said pedestlrbein vided with an opening through Whip4 i key may be inserted and a lateral extension carried by said key adapted to engage a to hold the Valve in opened position and against the tension of the spring.

4. A device of the character described,

to 'close the. valve, a removable key adapted tofengage,

'fnriountech` ated comprising a pedestal, a transparent measuring receptacle mounted thereupon, a supply pipe leading fro-1n a source of supply to the measuring receptacle and inclosml by said pedestal. a spring actuated valve located in said supply pipe and. comprising a long-itu dinullyniornble sti-ln. u discharge pipe loading from the receptacle. a valve lomltrd in said disvhargrx pipe und comprising' a rotutive clement having a notch fornn-d therein, a pivotcd lever conncrled to the peduslal, one end ot' said lever being pivoled to the.

und the other rotative element, said pin being 'ield oul` ot' engagement with said member when` tho spring actuated valve is closed and engaging in the notch of said member to prevent movement of the valve in the. discharge pi pe as long as the valve in the supply pipe is open..

5. A device of the character described comprising a pedestal and a transparent mepsurlng receptacle mounted thereupon, a

ing an opening formed in the wall' thereof, a spring actuated valve in said supply pipe comprising a stem and a comprising gee ofthe 4" mgv a otc formed they carrie` the.;` homage# adaptedltrcdp ra ,y

ortho purposestset io 1 device of the ch .thetouter .racter described comprising a dreaming-receptacle, a hollow pedestal upon, 4ssud receptacle is ceptacl'e through the pedestal, a sp1-'mg actuvalve in' the supply pipe, seid valv'e having a longitudinal y movable valve stem which projects in both directions from the valve casing, said pedestal havlngV an opena ,supply .pipe leading to said revy key having a bavonct slot formed therein ing in ulinement with one end of the vulve stem, n key adapted to he passed through said opening and to engage the valve stem to impart :in endwse pull thereto, a lever pivoted at its lower end to the opposite end oi the valve stem and pivobed intermediate its ends to the pedestal, a discharge pipe leading from the receptacle and located en tirely outside of the pedestal, a controlling cock in the discharge ipe, a disk secured to the eontrollin memger of said. cock and havilig its face isposed adjacent the outer face of the pedestal, said disk having a notch formed therein and a member carried by the other end of said level* and adapted In testimony whereof We aflix our signatures 111 presence of two wltnesses.

ARTHUR D. NICHOLSON. WILLIAM T. LOWERY.

Witnesses as to signature of Arthur D. Nicholson:

W. J. Four), H. B. LAW. lvitnesses as to signature of William T. Lowery:

Y. CAMPBELL, l?. M. STOCKMAN. 

